I really enjoy the races here in Panama. A bit unorganized, but the spirit among the runners are really high, and there is a lot of talking and chatting before the race. The runners here is a fairly small community, and it feels like everone knows eachother. And I am so happy to be part of that. The runners community is one of the things I will miss most when we move back to Sweden.
I am standing in a long queue with Ida, waiting to enscribe in the race. Talking to Luis Carlos, say hi to many runners. The queue is long, and I realize that the race will not start 6.45. Hmm. Well, there is quite a lot of shade in this race anyway, so its fairly ok.
6.59 and the race is on! People runs like crazy! I start a little faster than planned. 4.22 min the first km, compared to the planned 4.30 pace. First we run 1-1.5 km back towards Panama City, then back again and continue towards Gamboa. Passing the start after around 3 km, and Carlitos is there shouting "you should be in the front, you should be in the front!". Yeah, right.
Fernando, my spanish friend that beat me in the El Valle race (by around 30 minutes) is way ahead. "Now is your chance to beat me", he said before the race. Hmm, dont know where they got the expectations from...
There are a lot of hills in the race, and pretty soon the field is very spread out. I recognize a few runners ahead, that were ahead of me in earlier races. Means that I have a decent pace.
After around 9 km, I can sense the canal, and the bridge over Rio Chagres, the river that feeds the canal with water. I still keep the pace of about 4.30 min/km, and now its downhill towards the bridge. The downhill is nice, but it also means that we have a terrible uphill on the way back..
So far, the water is enough for me. Around every 5 km. What I am not aware of, is that there is not enough water for the runners further back. Passing 10 km after a little more than 45 minutes, and just after the bridge I meet Fernando. "You are in sixth place, Fernando" I shout. Fernando looks concentrated. Wow, sixth place, Fernando is really going strong.
After the bridge there is little more than 1 km left to the turning point, and I can count my position by counting how many runners I meet. Around 30th place. A strong breeze keeps the pace down, and is a bit irritating. Since there are so many hills on this race, I want to take every opportunity to "catch up" all lost time in the hills, which means going faster when downhill but also on the flats. Not possible in Gamboa village, to much wind. And to much fatigue..
Going back, meeting a number of runners I know. Agapito is not far behind, and when I pass the bridge I meet Margaret. I shout a hi, she looks strong. After the bridge awaits an uphill lasting almost 2 km, around 50 meter in height difference. Terrible! Also knowing that there are 7 km more to run makes it psychologically tough.
The heat of the day is coming up fast, as fast as the water stations is running out of water. Afterwards I hear of many runners that got the last water at the turning point in Gamboa, after 12 km. Being forced to run without water for the last 9 km! In tropical heat with the sun coming up!
Ida and Carmen is meeting with the car, supporting with water to drink and cool off! Fantastic, and I was really glad that we had forgotten to take out the 5-liter bottle of water from the weekend before. In the end, many runners got support from Ida, Carmen and a little kid helping out.
Runners struck by the heat, with no water to drink.
Runners drowling.
Runners staggering.
I firmly believe that we would have had several passed out runners if it was not for Ida, Carmen, the kid and several others supporting with additional water along the race.
Also, the psychological support was fantastic- thanks!
I pass one or two runners, one walking looking really tired. I get passed by one runner I recognize, looking really strong. I have serious difficulty keeping the pace now, and the hills are unrelenting. I speed up the last 2 km in order to make it below 1h 40 min. Meeting Fernando: "Come on, only a few meters, around the bend!".
The last uphill, I can see the goal and I sprint like a crazy! 1h 40. And 2 seconds.. Very tired, slightly dissapointed with the 2 seconds, but pretty pleased overall.
I am really thirsty, and start looking for the water.. Ehh. "Donde esta el agua..?". Ok. No water. Brilliant. Confused runners. Thirsty runners. Dizzy runners. No water.
A creative guy is selling water and is probably making a small fortune. But its worth it of course, and I am glad that someone have done some thinking.
"A doctor, a doctor". Someone have collapsed. Not strange given the circumstances. For most runners, they were out of water for the last 9 km in the race, as well as after the race. The last runners came in after around 3 hours. That means running without water for maybe 1 1/2 hour, with no water at the finish.
Dont get me wrong now. I love Panama, the runners community is fantastic and the energy I get from other runners before, during and after the races are simply overwhelming. I will miss it so much in Sweden! Normally, the races (as most of what is going on in the region) is not 100 % organized. But everyone knows that. Well, most anyway. Which means that most runners know that the race will start late and that you might not show up in the results afterwards. And that many runners bring their own water bottles (myself included).
But.
The organization today was simply not acceptable. Not because some inconvenience, but because peoples health were put at risk. I can live with a splitting headache the whole Sunday thanks to the lack of water, that is just inconvenience. But when people start collapsing, and there were a lot of dizzy runners during and after the race, then it is not good.
Most races are ok, and e.g. the El Valle race a few weeks ago was very very well organized. But today was, in my opinion, a minor disaster.
I acknowledge the enormous time and effort people spend on preparing these races, time that is not rewarded in money but hopefully in other ways. But next time, give me a call and I bring water. Other runners can bring water. You have the Yahoo-group that is very active- use that! But please please, dont put peoples health, or even life, at stake again!
There, now I have said that, and it feels better. I was really really angry when I came to the finishline, and saw there was no water. If I would have known who to throw a banana on, I would probably have done it..
But, I will remember the good things. The fantastic environment, with the howler monkeys and birds, the beautiful nature, the tough race. With runners that were sooooo tired, but still had some energy to say "hi", "good luck", "go for it" etc. Yes, I will miss this for sure. But the good memories, those I will keep!
Below is the "nice" height profile of the race. Taken by GPS, so it might not be 100 % accurate, but close enough.
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